Looking fingers while reading music

[Greenman72]

So...in the piano world, you're supposed to be able to play without looking at your fingers. Looking at your fingers is a sin, or at least a "weakness".
Is this also true in the bass world? It seems like looking at your fingers is totally fine.

And if that's the case, how do you read music while looking at your fingers?

(Hopefully this isn't a stupid question. I'm about to embark on a "music reading" journey, and I'm having trouble balancing looking at fingers vs. looking at music.)

 

[MonetBass]

Practicing sight-reading will help with this. Eventually you should get to where you don't have to look at your fingers unless you're shifting out of first position, and even then, briefly.

 

[Greenman72]

^If that's the case, then why do most of the tabs that I read go "up and down" the neck, rather than "across" the neck?
It seems like it would be easier (especially on a 5-string) to go across the neck.

And is the logical solution to that to "stop reading tabs and start reading music"?

 

[mambo4]

Stop looking at your fingers when reading

These sense you need to develop is called proprioception , popularly called muscle memory
Looking at the finger board is not necessary, if you practice and develop this sense.
Occasional glance for position , sure, but once in position, no peeking
reading ahead comes with practice and is also a thing that can give you space to adjust

 

[porkynuggets]

Usually only have to look for the destination of a large shift in position. Generally just playing the intervals in a position when sight reading. Tabs are fine, but they aren't always how the original artist played it, nor are they they only way you can play it.

 

[mambo4]

why do most of the tabs that I read go "up and down" the neck, rather than "across" the neck?

players who know that you can play the same note elsewhere probably are not uploading "most of the tabs"

 

[skycruiser]

I have been forced to build muscle memory recently by being involved with a group using sheet music and a lot of sight reading. I can now jump around pretty well, even reliably up to around fret 10 on the G string, without looking. But I did find that in a performance situation, with nerves in play (and maybe not always able to hear myself well), I need to be able to quickly glance at the left hand when taking big jumps. So I practice playing without looking, but also practice looking quickly without losing my place in the music.

Personally I never use tabs so can't say much about that.

 

[bass player 53]

^If that's the case, then why do most of the tabs that I read go "up and down" the neck, rather than "across" the neck?
It seems like it would be easier (especially on a 5-string) to go across the neck.

And is the logical solution to that to "stop reading tabs and start reading music"?

The formal, traditional double bass method books teach reading bass clef music starting in 1/2 position (at the nut) and moving position by position towards the opposite end of the fingerboard. Shifting, without looking is a major emphasis in these methods. Experienced players will re-examine these shifts at times, and move more vertically. There are no short cuts to reading music well, and shifting well. It takes many hours of practice to master reading music and mastering the fingerboard.
Moving vertically in the bowing sense involves string crossings, which is a further bowing challenge. The same can be said about plucking the strings vertically. This takes additional practice as well.

 

[steve_ss]

If I don't look at my music won't know what note to play. If I don't look at my fingers, I can't finger the right note. I'm so confused...

 

[bass player 53]

If I don't look at my music won't know what note to play. If I don't look at my fingers, I can't finger the right note. I'm so confused...

There shouldn’t be confusion. If you look at bassist’s performances across the musical spectrum, you see that it is routinely done. After minutes, hours, days, weeks, years of deliberate practice. Maybe you were just kidding. Ok.

 

[Slevage]

^If that's the case, then why do most of the tabs that I read go "up and down" the neck, rather than "across" the neck?
It seems like it would be easier (especially on a 5-string) to go across the neck.

And is the logical solution to that to "stop reading tabs and start reading music"?

I’ve never been paid to read tab.
I’ve been playing over 50 years.

 

[Slevage]

I’ve never been paid to read tab.
I’ve been playing over 50 years

 

[MonetBass]

^If that's the case, then why do most of the tabs that I read go "up and down" the neck, rather than "across" the neck?
It seems like it would be easier (especially on a 5-string) to go across the neck.

And is the logical solution to that to "stop reading tabs and start reading music"?

Learn to read standard notation and figure out what fingerings work best for you. Tabs only show one way to finger something, when there are more efficient ways to play it (in most cases).

 

[micguy]

I don’l look st my fingers or the music. I memorize everything, so at the gig, I can look at other players and the audience. When I know a set of music, I will play the whole set with my eyes closed.

 

[Smooth_bass88]

I’ve never been paid to read tab.
I’ve been playing over 50 years

CHECKMATE!!! BOOM

 

[coyote1]

Looking at sheet (or now tablet) music is cool in most contexts. Looking at the audience is cool any time you’re not supposed to be looking at the music or at a conductor.

Looking at your fingers? At the fingerboard? Only when you really need to.

I’ve never been paid to read tab.
I’ve been playing over 50 years

Right. And tab is woefully bereft of information; you have to have a listenable version handy for tab to make sense. So then…. If I have to record your part for you AND show you exactly where to place your fingers on your instrument, what exactly is it that I’m hiring you for? When there are plenty of cats out there who can sight-read precision parts and interpret chord charts?

 

[SJan3]

^If that's the case, then why do most of the tabs that I read go "up and down" the neck, rather than "across" the neck?
It seems like it would be easier (especially on a 5-string) to go across the neck.

And is the logical solution to that to "stop reading tabs and start reading music"?

Yep, why learn tabs when you can learn the real thing? Learn to read music.

 

[Erithon]

I voted for "carrots" because the real answer is you should be looking at, listening to, and communicating with your fellow musicians as much as possible. Glance at your music as necessary. Look at your fingers as necessary. But prioritize the ensemble. In an orchestra, this means the conductor and section leader in particular. In a rock band, this means the drummer and the band leader. In church, this means the worship leader and/or music director. In a jazz combo, this means everyone.

It's also good to look at the audience from time to time, to get a sense of where they are at and adjust your performance to feed off their energy (when it's good energy) or adjust course (when you've lost them).

But all this comes with time. For now, practice looking at the music and not your fingers. (Again, it's fine to check in with your left hand from time to time.) Practice slowly. Be patient with yourself. Part of expertise is the automation of tasks the novice finds challenging. In time you'll build the muscle memory and be able to mostly look at the music. With more time, you'll be able to look at the music less and instead focus on your fellow musicians.

 

[H K]

It's like anything else man. Once you reach a certain level of proficiency it comes naturally.

Do I some times look at my fingers? Yes. Do I ever NEED to look at them? Not really.
CAN I play straight from the sheet music without looking at my hands? Yes. Do I prefer just learning the song and play it by heart? Also yes.

But yeah, sheet music is basically just a cheat-sheet. Look at it if youre unsure where you are, or what part comes next. But it should already be in your muscle memory by the time you perform it.

 

[Guitalia]

If you can already type on a computer keyboard or thumb your way around the keys on your phone without looking, you should be able to master navigating a bass neck without watching your hands reasonably quickly.

Tip: from what I've read, Eddie Van Halen got to be as confident a player as he was at least partly by practicing mechanically while watching TV.